Potential sale of old schoolhouse debated Mayor, council members differ on whether town should hold onto land BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer East Brunswick EAST BRUNSWICK - A proposal to declare the former McGinnis School property surplus and sell it has met with some opposition on the Township Council. Mayor William Neary said the old schoolhouse at the corner of Dunhams Corner Road and Hardenburg Lane is badly in need of repair, and he believes it would be in the township's best interest to sell the property to someone who would agree to fix up the building and maintain it as an educational use. He believes there would be buyers willing to shell out the $700,000 or so needed to renovate the building. The payoff to the purchaser would be the ability to run some type of educational business there. But at Monday night's Township Council meeting, some questioned Neary's plan. Councilwoman Catherine Diem said she did not see why the township would be willing to accept a price as low as $250,000 for the property. In 1992, the value of the land was $260,000, and Diem figures the value has risen sharply since then, as is the case with properties throughout the town. Township Finance Director L. Mason Neely responded that the township has since limited the size of the land that could be purchased and used, and there are also more regulations to abide by these days, including those pertaining to asbestos. He said the building would require between $700,000 and $900,000 to be brought up to a level where it could be used for educational purposes. Neely also said that selling the property would allow the township to get rid of a liability and replace it with an educational use. This would also "brighten up" the corner where it is located. Diem said she still was still uncomfortable with the numbers being discussed and requested that more information be presented before a vote is taken on declaring the land as surplus. The item was only up for discussion Monday, so no vote was taken on the ordinance. Councilman David Stahl said he was against the sale, simply because he does not feel there should be any commercial or quasi-commercial ventures in that area. He believes such a use would make what he feels is an already dangerous intersection at Dunhams Corner Road and Hardenburg Lane even worse. Even though the township would be disposing of a liability, it would also be losing a property that could be needed in the future to expand upon township or school district facilities, Stahl said. However, Neely said it would not be cost-effective for the township because of the distance from the municipal complex to the property. Council President Nancy Pinkin asked Stahl if he is in favor of tearing the historical schoolhouse down. He responded that he's simply not in favor of declaring it surplus or selling it. While he would "love to see" the potential $250,000 in revenue from the sale be included in this year's budget, he also realizes there would be no turning back if the land is sold and the township later realizes it could have used the site. Neary said he feels the building should be preserved, but the township needs to find someone willing to make repairs, do landscaping and fix windows and other problems on the building and its surroundings. "It has continued to deteriorate over the past 10 years," Neary said. Township Attorney Michael Baker said the property would be publicly bid upon, and there would be a restriction to prevent any buyer from bulldozing the building. Neely said the front facade of the school would be maintained and there would also be a need to preserve certain areas. Neary said he wants to see the building become a type of "school" once again. Currently, the building could not be used for "anything anyone would consider a public school," the mayor said, noting that East Brunswick Superintendent of Schools Jo Ann Magistro told him the district has no use for the site. Stahl said the area could still be used for open space, while keeping the building from demolition, especially because there would be no acquisition costs. "Where can we get a building for $700,000?" he asked rhetorically. The township could also try to obtain grant money to help rehabilitate the building, Stahl said. Diem said there needs to be more "due diligence" on the matter before moving forward. The measure is not expected to be included on the agenda at the next council meeting.